Born and raised in Minneapolis, Eric Dayton graduated from Williams College and later received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was a member of Arctic Transect 2004, a six-month, 2,000-mile dogsled expedition led by legendary polar explorer Will Steger.

In 2011, Eric and his brother co-founded Askov Finlayson, a climate positive outdoor clothing company with the mission to Keep The North Cold. Askov Finlayson has committed $1 million over the next five years to fund some of the world’s most innovative climate action organizations. Eric also co-owns North First Hospitality, which includes The Bachelor Farmer and Marvel Bar.

Eric is the board president of The Great Northern, an annual 10-day winter festival that celebrates Minnesota’s signature season. He was named a 2019 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.